Awesome!! sound like a great hunt. Congrats

congrats on the bird man!!!! i still have 31 days until my season comes around. WAY TO LONG!!!!

Awesome story Dan...and thanks for the call.

I had an awesome yesterday, but no shot.

I took the 75 yr old landowner out (that's our tradition for the first hunt of the year.) Hogs have rooted up all the chufas and sucked all the acorns off the ground, so the birds are as thick as in years prior. We set up in our normal spot and only heard one gobble at 7:11. Then about 7:30 I heard another bird. Bill had to leave at 8, so I moved across the field to into the shade and set the camera up. I was trying to film myself because I want to do an spiritual outdoors video for our church. Anyway, I sent some e-mails and texted some folks back and played a couple of card games on my phone while I waited.
Then I yelped. I heard a gobbler behind me at about 75 yards. I was excited and got the camera ready to film the field. I had a new primos killer b and 4 hen decoys out and was excited to film what I have witnessed so many times before.

I yelped again.

This time he was within 30 yards behind me. I thought, "Crap, what if he comes out right where I am?!!" So, I decided to be still and let him see the dekes. Then he started spitting and drumming. I could feel the drumming in my chest. He was practically breathing on the back of my neck. Wow! He ended up coming to the edge of the field just 10 feet to my right. (I am right handed and didn't think I could get the gun around and figured he would go stomp on my decoy anyway.) He stood there for what seemed like eternity (more like 1 minute) and then turned back into the woods never to be seen.

Now, here is the lesson. DON'T FILM YOURSELF if you want to kill the bird. If I had been just hunting, I would have already turned with my gun in that direction, but I was too concerned with the camera.

I don't regret my decision, because I WILL get another crack at more birds and I still had a great hunt, even without the kill. The video would have been great if he had come out into the field.

I'd say that has happened about 1 out of 4 times with dekes, but that's the risk I was willing to take.

I'm going again this Friday and will let you know how I do.

Congrats again, Dan.

Didn't hear a peep all morning. That's huntin'. It started raining at around 8:30 so I took off on a little run n gun. I was walking down one of our logging rds. and just coming to a turn in it when I ran into a little harem of birds. 2 gobblers and 9 hens. One of the gobblers was in full strut. The strutter was facing away from me and only 35 yds away and totally unaware that I was there. I shouldered my gun and even ****ed it. His buddies had already scurried down the rd. and I think he was in another world when he was strutting. He just stood up and looked dead at me for about 10-15 sec. I just couldn't make myself pull the trigger. I didn't feel right. He realized something wasn't rt. and hauled butt down the rd. after his buddies. I just stood there kind of shocked at what had just happened but I felt good about it. I hope I get a chance to go mano o mano with that crew in the morning. I must be getting old. lol He's a "real" nice bird.

mfd1027 sometimes it all about the experience LOL , you will get him next time. Received my call in the mail today sounds fantastic cant wait to try it out. Could be what i need to get my first bird with the recurve.

Thanks Again

Ed

Team 7 "Spur Collectors " 2010

I second that! I got the call in the mail too and I love it. Im not the best at it yet but it sounded much better compared to my other one I had. Dan, yours doesn't tickle my toungue like the other ones did..

Whew!. It was rough today. Windy and raining. I gave it the old college try til around noon but didn't hear a peep. Tommorrow looks better but Wed. is the day. lol

Dan

Opening day bird. OK. Now you guys know why I scare so many many birds off. lol

I think it must be the 'stache....that scars 'em off! Just kidding. Good bird and good calls man. I think you have found some affirmation on your mouth calls here. I would agree. I love the one you sent me.

Dan, congrats on the bird. Better start already...

Thanks you guys!! Today was more of the same- windy and actually cold. Didn't hear a peep! Tomorrow looks better.

Dan

Hey Dan congrats on the bird good luck with the bigger one.

Thanks , Tim.

The weather looks great for tomorrow. Man, I hope they gobble. If they do- it's on!! I hope to have another dead bird story.

Dan

Congrats on the birds, guys! Dan, I love the mouth call! Is there any way i could puchase the other models you have?

BBD!!!!!!-
The Stats:

WT. 20 lbs 12 oz
Bd. 10"
L 1"
R 1"
--------------------
60.75

Story and pic's to follow.




Tim, the answer is yes.


Dan

Wow Dan you are on fire and bustin heads all over the place. Congrats. Is this the same bird you walked up on?

Awesome job...2 birds in a week...I haven't even done any scouting yet...

I'm not sure Tim. He was in the same area but I think that one had a longer beard.

The short version of the story. Is he set up in some open pines and expected me (the hen) to come to him. I waited him out. He would gobble every 30 min. or so. At one pt. I heard two hens coming up from behind me and I knew I would have to spook em or the game would be up. I crawled toward them like a mad man and I don't know what they thought I was but it worked. They actually flew back the way they came-perfect. At around 10 I started kee kee'ing softly at him and following it up with two note yelps on my box. One side of this box is real deep and raspy and it works for a gobbler yelp. it fooled him. He picked up the gobbling and I knew he was closing the distance. I had my jake deke out facing away from him. I've made up a great jake tail for it and he got po'd when he saw it. He sprinted that last 60 yds. and at about 18 he ate a load of Hevi 13 7's. I hate shooting em that close because you can miss em pretty easy but I didn't. He was a true jellyhead. It was a fun hunt. I love chess matches. lol

Dan

cograts on the bird. Good job gettting those hens out of there, cant compete with the real deal.

Long day yesterday. I hunted early yesterday and could have killed another 2 yr old but passed. I was working a stubborn older bird but had to leave at 8:30 to make the drive back to Miami to PU our 6 YO grandaughter. I'm whipped. It's a 550 mile ride! We're headed back tomorrow and hopefully (if it's not raining) I can go to battle with that older bird on Sunday or Monday morning.

Dan

congrats on the birds dan!! hopefully i'll get out this coming weekend to do some scouting and set a couple blinds up. i bought a couple new calls this last weekend so i'll break them in this coming weekend

Made it back up. I heard one this morning but he gave me the slip. If he does the same thing twice I'll have another dead bird story to tell tomorrow. lol What's the odds of that happening. lol Anyways, the weather is rough and it's supposed to be in the 30's in the morning which is about 15 degrees below normal. The weather looks like it's going to get better as the wk. goes on. I'll keep you posted.

Dan

Dan really nice bird congrats !! 28 days to go here in MA, already seeing plenty of birds could be another good season.

Team 7
"Spur Collectors"
2010

ED

Team 7 "Spur Collectors"

I would be interested in knowing when your season opens and bag limits. Here in MA our spring season opens 4/26 - 5 /22 fall season 10/26 - 10 /30 two bird limit and only Toms during the spring season. Most fill there two tags during the spring as archery deer season is under way during our fall season.

Good Luck

Ed

in wisconsin our season runs from April 14 to May 23 and its split into six 4 day periods. for the bag limit you use the tag your applied for then you can buy as many left over tags over the counter.

I should have been tagged out this morning. I didn't hear a peep at daylight so I decided to set up where I had him hang up the other day. I got set up and started calling but didn't hear anything until 8:30 when I heard a faint gobble behind me. I hit him with some fancy footwork and the next time he gobbled he was a lot closer. I just kept it up because he seemed to like it. lol I was all set for him to come by on one side of the tree but he came a little more to the rt. than I wanted. It was ok because he passed me and then I stopped him with some soft stuff. He started strutting back in forth in some thick stuff about 40 yds out and in range the whole time but I couldn't get a good shot at him. I swear he was there for a good 15 min. and in range the whole time. My jake deke was out in front of me in the clear and I thought for sure he'd come over to beat it up but he didn't. He was content to just walk back and forth in that thick stuff. He finally had enough and headed back the way he came and again I thought I would kill him when he hit an opening but he angled away as he left and wound up about 60 yds. away when he hit the opening. I let him go. I was over there tonight and got him going again rt at dark so I know he's there. I'm going to set up on him in the direction he went on Mon. He came back to roost that way and walked rt. along the same field edge he walked on Monday morning. If he does what I think maybe I will get a shot at him tomorrow. I think the morning is going to be good. It's dead calm rt. now and about 50 degrees.

Dan

It's been in the 70's the last couple days around here, hope that didn't get the toms all fired up. Still have 2 weeks to go before it's time to drop the hammer. I'm in the middle of redoing one of my bathrooms, so I can't wait to get away and get out in the woods....

I'm back in Miami. We had to bring our grandaughter home so she can go to school on Mon. The pollen was horrible the past few days and she wound up in the hosp. with an asthma attack yesterday morning at 3 am. We left for Miami from the hosp.

I had a great wk. hunting and could have killed two yr. old birds on Mon. Tue and Fri. Here's the story of Fridays hunt. I thought I post it just to keep you guys fired up. I'll probably hunt some in Big Cypress next wk. and then we will head back to Ga around the 20th. Here's the story. I had sent it to a buddy so I'll copy it and paste it.

OK. Fri. started out with a lot of gobbling. I got set up in what I thought was the rt. spot in between 2 or 3 birds and I started calling. Man, I had them fired up. They were all double and triple gobbling but they weren't closing the distance. I had a creek between me and two of them so that might have stopped those two but the other one I think had a relatively clear rt. to where I was. I don't know what his problem was but he never closed the distance so I got up and headed to another spot where I had been messing with that 3 yr. old. Enroute I was stopping every couple of hundred yds. and yelping some and at one spot I thought I heard a gobble but I wasn't sure so I headed in the direction I thought it came from. While I was walking that way I heard a crow cawing away and then I definitely heard a gobble. I picked up the pace and I wound up only about 75 yds. from my truck where I set up. The pines in this section were really open with a lot of pine straw on the ground which can be pretty noisy when its dry. I knew I wasn't going to be able to move around in there. I picked a tree with some cover in front of it. I started out with a loud ground cackle and I got cut off and they were close. Close enough that I couldn't understand why I couldn't see em. I thought they might run rt. over they cut me off so quickly so I just propped my gun up and got ready. This was at about 9:30. Well it turned into the ol Mexican standoff with them gobbling at everything I did. After that first cutt I cut it back to just yelping softly with few clucks thrown in. This went on for about 20 min. when I decided to switch to my kee kee call. I started doing that cluck-kee kee kee-yelp series I had heard that bird do 2 yrs. ago. Man, talk about gobbling. They went nuts so I just kept it up turning my head to the side to sound like another bird approaching. I could tell they were moving too which is a good sign. I swear if you can just get em to move from a spot where they have hung up you've got em. When I heard them gobble about 50 yds. to the side of where they had been I really toned it down to just a cluck every once in a while. Here they came. The first thing I saw was a flash from their feathers as they walked out of the shade into the sunlight. Man it was neat. It was like they were flashing a light on and off as they crossed shady spots. They were headed rt. for me and I ****ed the gun. At about 40 yds. I could tell the second one definitely had a bigger beard but I also knew they were 2 yr. olds. I was really tempted on that second bird because his beard was really thick and almost sticking straight out but it was only about 8" long. The first one had a kind of spindly beard and it was also about 8" long. I just let em pass at 20 yds. I just didn't want to end my season. lol Jarret's buddy Sean is into filming hunts and we want to try to film one when they come up that I can use on my website so if I'm going to shoot another 2 yr. old I want it on film. Man, this would have been a good one. I'm probably stupid to keep passing on these birds but I'm having so much fun that I hate see it end. lol Man, the birds are going nuts rt. now. It was warm on Wed. and Th. and it put them into high gear. Mike said he heard at least a dozen different birds gobbling on his place on Fri. morning and Brad heard a bunch. I kind of hated to leave but we had to.

Dan

Whats our teams total score?

We don't have a score. Is Jepcho our Capt.?? I know he said he was real busy building his house or something like that. His last post was Mar. 6. Maybe we need a co-captain. I'm sure JW would be receptive. I kind of hate to get too far behind.
Any volunteers?

Dan

Hey guys. I'm here. Sorry. I should be able to get on everyday to update now. I had some stuff going on. Gonna have to cut Kansas out of my hunt plans too. I'll be hunting only in Iowa this year. I'm getting the scores posted now. I'm back to stay. Congrats mfd on the birds. You got us off to a great start!

Good deal Jepcho. I knew you were busy.

Dan

i still got another 2 weeks until i can get out and start knocking some thunder chickens over

Its finally here! turkey season starts tomorrow! But sadly I have school and track pratice... Hopefully ill get out there sometime this week after school (depending what time I get out of track). Ill definetly be out this weekend..
Today we went out to set my blind up and I saw some fresh turkey tracks in the field so im pumped up. We went to our cabin and I walked around a little behind the cabin in our timber and I heard 2 or 3 hens talkin and I saw a tom. I was walking around in a red shirt and black shorts so he picked me off quick and took off.
I can't wait till this weekend for the morning hunts! The mornings are the best around my area.

Turkey season is here. Leaving on Friday to do a little scouting before the actual hunt on Saturday....good luck to us all...

Good Luck you guys!!! Can't wait to read the stories!!!!!!!!!!!


Dan

good luck to the both of you guys. knock one over for us. good luck and be safe

I went out today after track practice. I had a good 2 hour sit. Saw some deer at first and then around 7:20 I did some calls and I got a gobble and about 200 yards away in the next corn field was a strutter. He gobbled twice and strutted all the way to his roost for the night. Then around 7:45 i called again and the first tom gobbled from his tree and then we saw another strutter walking the same path as the first and he just strutted all the way to his roost. My dad was out there with me and those were the first strutting birds he has ever seen. Hes heard gobbles and stuff but never saw one fanned out. I can't wait till hes with me and i have a set of two come up and tear the living crap out of my decoys. Hes gonna love that. I wish I could hunt the morning because I know exactly were those two are and there morning path is right in front of my blind. Ill get after them this weekend. Friday I have a track meet so I can't go out then. And then saturday I have a track meet from 8 till 3 pm so i can't hunt the saturday morning one. Ill get out there saturday night and sunday.

Good luck this wk. end Pope both with your track meet and hunting. What distance do you run? Sounds like you might be a good guy to have around if you winged one and had to run him down. lol

Dan

Haha yeah, im pretty quick out of the blind. ;) Im not sure what I run friday and saturday. More than likely a 400 or 800 and ill be doing the high jump.